Not sure how long this story will be online, but if you're looking for something to read this weekend consider checking out William Trevor's short story, "The Afternoon," in The New Yorker.
He's a magician, that one. Especially when it comes to point of view.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Avoiding Plagiarism
All the recent focus on (possible) plagiarism in the work of a certain young writer has reminded me of an excellent book I reviewed little over a year ago. See my Community College Week review of Charles Lipson's Doing Honest Work in College: How to Prepare Citations, Avoid Plagiarism, and Achieve Real Academic Success (University of Chicago Press), subsequently posted at Lipson's Web site.
Lipson also provides many useful links to resources to help writers and teachers do honest work.
Lipson also provides many useful links to resources to help writers and teachers do honest work.
Friday, April 28, 2006
From Our Newsletter
Yesterday the newest issue of "The Practicing Writer," our free monthly newsletter for fictionists, poets, and creative nonfiction writers, went out to our subscribers. As usual, this issue includes plenty of submission calls, contest announcements, and more (including many items not previously listed here at the blog).
Each newsletter issue also contains a feature article. Below you'll find the one included in this issue, written to complement the recent publication of our newest resource guide, WRITERS' MARKETS: Where to Sell What You Write When You Write About Writing. (UPDATE, July 19, 2007: This e-book is no longer available.)
Hope you enjoy this look into our newsletter! If you want to read past issues/articles, they're archived (for subscribers only) here.
WRITING ON WRITING: 10 WAYS TO WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW BEST
by Erika Dreifus
If there's one subject practicing writers know, it's writing. And for those who'd like to convert this expertise into paid publication, opportunities abound. Not sure what I mean? Consider these 10 types of "writing on writing":
1. Craft/"how-to" articles. Instructional pieces form the proverbial meat-and-potatoes of many, if not most, writing magazines and newsletters. You'll need some genuine expertise here. Don't try to tell other people how to write a (presumably publishable) short story if you've never completed one yourself. Don't offer tips on book promotion if you've never promoted a book.
2. Market updates/profiles. These articles, often including information for those who want to break in to a specific niche, are also staples of many writing publications. I've written about literary magazines, alumni magazines, family history magazines, and more.
3. Essays on "the writing life." If you have something new to say--something other than a familiar story about rejection, for instance--try some of the writing magazines that look for these pieces. (Humor is often a plus.)
4. Poems on "the writing life." Yes, it's true. Some publications actually do seek poetry specifically about writing. Again, better to "make it new," as Ezra Pound advised.
5. Interviews/Profiles. Think outside the box here. Writing magazines publish interviews with agents and editors as well as with poets and writers. Find out where a writer went to college--the alumni magazine may well be interested in a profile. Where does the writer live? Look into the relevant city/regional magazines.
6. Literary travel pieces. You can pitch some writing magazines with these, but don't forget travel publications, including newspaper travel sections.
7. Literary education pieces and/or reading lists. Time these to coincide with National Poetry Month (April, in the United States and Canada); National Book Month (October); Back-to School, etc.
8. Book reviews. Write about books on writing and/or writers' memoirs. Don't limit yourself to writing-focused publications for placements here. A memoir, in particular, may hold wide appeal for a general readership. (For more book review markets, consult our own Directory of Paying Markets for Book Reviewers).
9. College/Career Columns. Don't forget that writing is a part of academic life. I once sold an article to a publication for college students advising collegians how to negotiate the senior thesis-writing process. I sold another article to a parenting publication advising parents on seeing their kids through the college application essay process. And while it may not be easy to remember during breaks between paychecks and publications, writing is a career option, and it's one others want to know about.
10. Op-eds. Writers can (and have) opined, frequently in major newspapers and magazines, on everything from the writing section of the new SAT to the qualities that should define a memoir.
So go ahead, fellow writers. Write on.
© Copyright 2006 Erika Dreifus. All rights reserved.
Bio: In addition to her fiction and her other freelance work, Erika Dreifus has published more than 150 writing-related articles, essays, interviews, op-eds, and book reviews since 2003 in The Writer, Writer's Digest, Poets & Writers, and many other print and online publications. Visit her Web site and/or her blog for much more writing advice and commentary.
This article may be freely reprinted provided it is unchanged and is reprinted in its entirety, from title through bio. Please send a courtesy reprint to erikadrei-at-yahoo-dot-com. Thank you!
Each newsletter issue also contains a feature article. Below you'll find the one included in this issue, written to complement the recent publication of our newest resource guide, WRITERS' MARKETS: Where to Sell What You Write When You Write About Writing. (UPDATE, July 19, 2007: This e-book is no longer available.)
Hope you enjoy this look into our newsletter! If you want to read past issues/articles, they're archived (for subscribers only) here.
WRITING ON WRITING: 10 WAYS TO WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW BEST
by Erika Dreifus
If there's one subject practicing writers know, it's writing. And for those who'd like to convert this expertise into paid publication, opportunities abound. Not sure what I mean? Consider these 10 types of "writing on writing":
1. Craft/"how-to" articles. Instructional pieces form the proverbial meat-and-potatoes of many, if not most, writing magazines and newsletters. You'll need some genuine expertise here. Don't try to tell other people how to write a (presumably publishable) short story if you've never completed one yourself. Don't offer tips on book promotion if you've never promoted a book.
2. Market updates/profiles. These articles, often including information for those who want to break in to a specific niche, are also staples of many writing publications. I've written about literary magazines, alumni magazines, family history magazines, and more.
3. Essays on "the writing life." If you have something new to say--something other than a familiar story about rejection, for instance--try some of the writing magazines that look for these pieces. (Humor is often a plus.)
4. Poems on "the writing life." Yes, it's true. Some publications actually do seek poetry specifically about writing. Again, better to "make it new," as Ezra Pound advised.
5. Interviews/Profiles. Think outside the box here. Writing magazines publish interviews with agents and editors as well as with poets and writers. Find out where a writer went to college--the alumni magazine may well be interested in a profile. Where does the writer live? Look into the relevant city/regional magazines.
6. Literary travel pieces. You can pitch some writing magazines with these, but don't forget travel publications, including newspaper travel sections.
7. Literary education pieces and/or reading lists. Time these to coincide with National Poetry Month (April, in the United States and Canada); National Book Month (October); Back-to School, etc.
8. Book reviews. Write about books on writing and/or writers' memoirs. Don't limit yourself to writing-focused publications for placements here. A memoir, in particular, may hold wide appeal for a general readership. (For more book review markets, consult our own Directory of Paying Markets for Book Reviewers).
9. College/Career Columns. Don't forget that writing is a part of academic life. I once sold an article to a publication for college students advising collegians how to negotiate the senior thesis-writing process. I sold another article to a parenting publication advising parents on seeing their kids through the college application essay process. And while it may not be easy to remember during breaks between paychecks and publications, writing is a career option, and it's one others want to know about.
10. Op-eds. Writers can (and have) opined, frequently in major newspapers and magazines, on everything from the writing section of the new SAT to the qualities that should define a memoir.
So go ahead, fellow writers. Write on.
© Copyright 2006 Erika Dreifus. All rights reserved.
Bio: In addition to her fiction and her other freelance work, Erika Dreifus has published more than 150 writing-related articles, essays, interviews, op-eds, and book reviews since 2003 in The Writer, Writer's Digest, Poets & Writers, and many other print and online publications. Visit her Web site and/or her blog for much more writing advice and commentary.
This article may be freely reprinted provided it is unchanged and is reprinted in its entirety, from title through bio. Please send a courtesy reprint to erikadrei-at-yahoo-dot-com. Thank you!
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Family Travel Writing
FamilyTravelFiles.com describes itself as "one of America's top-rated family travel websites," specializing in "displaying family vacation experiences, destination information, ideas and advice about family travel." New content is added 24 times/year.
Pays $25/100 words, on acceptance. Also pays for images.
For guidelines, click here.
(via the PayingWriterJobs list)
Pays $25/100 words, on acceptance. Also pays for images.
For guidelines, click here.
(via the PayingWriterJobs list)
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
New Contest: The O. Henry Short Story Competition for Young Writers
If you're a U.S. resident between the ages of 14 and 22 and you're an aspiring fiction writer you'll want to take a look at the new O. Henry Short Story Competition for Young Writers.
Running from May 15, 2006, through September 22, 2006, the contest invites you to submit an original short short story (maximum 1,000 words) via e-mail. You can submit only one entry. One winner and two runners-up will be chosen, and their stories will be published online at the O. Henry Prize Stories Web site. They'll also receive copies of the 2006 volume of the prize stories, signed by series editor Laura Furman.
The winner will also receive a $100 cash prize. His/her story will be sent, along with a letter of introduction from Laura Furman, to the editors of magazines represented in the 2006 prize story volume.
There is no entry fee.
As always, be sure to read the full guidelines before you submit. And you should also peruse that Web site to learn more about exceptional short stories and the magazines that publish them.
Running from May 15, 2006, through September 22, 2006, the contest invites you to submit an original short short story (maximum 1,000 words) via e-mail. You can submit only one entry. One winner and two runners-up will be chosen, and their stories will be published online at the O. Henry Prize Stories Web site. They'll also receive copies of the 2006 volume of the prize stories, signed by series editor Laura Furman.
The winner will also receive a $100 cash prize. His/her story will be sent, along with a letter of introduction from Laura Furman, to the editors of magazines represented in the 2006 prize story volume.
There is no entry fee.
As always, be sure to read the full guidelines before you submit. And you should also peruse that Web site to learn more about exceptional short stories and the magazines that publish them.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
The Latest Literary "Scandal"
Although her writerly transgressions--apparently, instances of plagiarism--are by no means the same as those James Frey committed, Kaavya Viswanathan seems to be earning a similar amount of press attention regarding her highly-touted (and highly-paid) debut novel, How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life. Instead of sending you to many different sources to read about it, I'm just going to recommend that you keep up with the daily coverage over at GalleyCat.
Don't get me started on the faults in education today (yes, even at my beloved Harvard, where Viswanathan is a sophomore). Crediting others for their ideas and/or words isn't something that seems to matter very much anymore. And as students launch into the writing profession there's little reason to expect more specialized attention to such matters. Even in my MFA program (at another institution) I was treated as a totally unreasonable soul for suggesting that the curriculum should cover source documentation (MLA, CMS...something!) for the single "critical" project we had to do.
If writing educators don't attend to ethical issues where "critical" writing is concerned, I don't know how we might begin to hope the situation can improve with "creative" efforts. But it's obviously high time to think about some real ethics education for creative writers.
Don't get me started on the faults in education today (yes, even at my beloved Harvard, where Viswanathan is a sophomore). Crediting others for their ideas and/or words isn't something that seems to matter very much anymore. And as students launch into the writing profession there's little reason to expect more specialized attention to such matters. Even in my MFA program (at another institution) I was treated as a totally unreasonable soul for suggesting that the curriculum should cover source documentation (MLA, CMS...something!) for the single "critical" project we had to do.
If writing educators don't attend to ethical issues where "critical" writing is concerned, I don't know how we might begin to hope the situation can improve with "creative" efforts. But it's obviously high time to think about some real ethics education for creative writers.
News on Creativity Coverage from Harvard Magazine
Just received my copy of Harvard Magazine yesterday, and was intrigued by this announcement, tucked between some letters to the editor:
For more information on writing for this magazine (and writing for alumni magazines more generally), see my article in the June 2004 Writer's Digest (reprinted in a special issue of Writing Nonfiction). You can also visit Harvard Magazine's Web site.
Beginning this fall, Harvard Magazine will expand its coverage of arts, culture, and creativity, as practiced by alumni, faculty, and students. Reviews of books--the principal focus of "The Browser"--will remain important. But reporting, profiles, criticism, and interviews focused on works in other media (painting, sculpture, film, video), performance and recordings (theater, music), and other creative realms (architecture, design, fashion), as examples, will join the roster. Deputy editor Craig Lambert, editor of "Right Now" for 16 years, will direct this new effort; he welcomes ideas and suggestions at arts (at) harvardmag.com. Given the magazine's bimonthly frequency, coverage will emphasize context and depth over reviews of ephemeral presentations or sheer publicity.
Managing editor Jonathan Shaw will edit "Right Now," continuing its focus on developments in research.
For more information on writing for this magazine (and writing for alumni magazines more generally), see my article in the June 2004 Writer's Digest (reprinted in a special issue of Writing Nonfiction). You can also visit Harvard Magazine's Web site.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Letting You In On A Little Secret
I'll let you in on a little secret about me. Actually, for most people who know me, it's not much of a secret. This is it: sad to say, I am not a "pet person."
Still, I notice news and announcements for pet- and animal-related publications. Here are two.
First, Onthebitmagazine.com, a start-up monthly equestrian magazine, will launch in May 2006. They're looking for writers. They want features, interviews, and (listen up, my book reviewing friends!), reviews. They'll pay $.15/word (on publication). Note that they do buy all rights, so if that's an issue for you, be forewarned. To read the full announcement, visit craigslist.
The second item I'm listing just because I have a lot of writer acquaintances who love dogs. Dog Health Magazine is looking for personal stories "involving your relationship with a dog(s). The story should describe in as much detail as possible a situation or event that demonstrates how your bond with a dog was deepened in some way. The story should focus on the aspects of dogs as leaders, as teachers, as inspiration and as companions who are equal to humans (if not higher) in empathy, intelligence and understanding."
The announcement notes that "If your story is selected for our Web Magazine, you'll win one of our $100 story prizes." Which is fine. But I'm a little concerned about the fine print on "terms and conditions," including the following:
"DH companies shall exclusively own all known or later existing rights to the Submissions worldwide and shall be entitled to the unrestricted use of the Submissions for any purpose without compensation to the provider of Submissions."
I'd advise anyone thinking about submitting here to ask if this means all submissions (even those not selected for publication) are also then owned by the publisher. Hopefully, that's not the case. But it is nebulous. At least it seems nebulous to me.
To read the announcement for yourself, visit the Web site.
Still, I notice news and announcements for pet- and animal-related publications. Here are two.
First, Onthebitmagazine.com, a start-up monthly equestrian magazine, will launch in May 2006. They're looking for writers. They want features, interviews, and (listen up, my book reviewing friends!), reviews. They'll pay $.15/word (on publication). Note that they do buy all rights, so if that's an issue for you, be forewarned. To read the full announcement, visit craigslist.
The second item I'm listing just because I have a lot of writer acquaintances who love dogs. Dog Health Magazine is looking for personal stories "involving your relationship with a dog(s). The story should describe in as much detail as possible a situation or event that demonstrates how your bond with a dog was deepened in some way. The story should focus on the aspects of dogs as leaders, as teachers, as inspiration and as companions who are equal to humans (if not higher) in empathy, intelligence and understanding."
The announcement notes that "If your story is selected for our Web Magazine, you'll win one of our $100 story prizes." Which is fine. But I'm a little concerned about the fine print on "terms and conditions," including the following:
"DH companies shall exclusively own all known or later existing rights to the Submissions worldwide and shall be entitled to the unrestricted use of the Submissions for any purpose without compensation to the provider of Submissions."
I'd advise anyone thinking about submitting here to ask if this means all submissions (even those not selected for publication) are also then owned by the publisher. Hopefully, that's not the case. But it is nebulous. At least it seems nebulous to me.
To read the announcement for yourself, visit the Web site.
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